Anything For The One You Love
by Makoto Sagara
Summary: Complete! A simple line can change the lives of the people who hear it. Set two years after EW. prequel to A Child's Love You should read this first, if you are going to try and read ACL


Title: Anything For The One You Love

Author: Makoto Sagara

Archive: 

Anywhere else, please ask first.

Pairings: 2+1, 1+2, 5+2

Category: Romance, Angst

Warnings: Shonen-ai, angst, language

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimers: I don't own the G-boys. I'm just letting my muse terrorize them for a while. I promise to return them to Sunrise, Sotsu Agency, and all the other Japanese companies when I'm done. Maybe… Not making money for this either.

Dedication: For Angel, who is the biggest 1x2 fan I have ever met.

A/N: Read the EW manga earlier, and this scene stood out for me. Well, the scene from the movie anyway. I really like Duo's line. I think it is perfect. This fic switches POV quite a bit.

Symbol explanations: *~*~*~* Switch in scene or POV

'blah' Thoughts

"Blah." Spoken words

"Anything for the one you love." I remember those words all too well. I said them actually. To the one I love, but, it was not meant in a romantic way. I doubt that he even knows anything about the way I feel.

* Flashback *

It was Christmas Eve AC 196, and Duo was wondering the halls of Quatre's house, looking for Heero to give him his present. Walking past the computer room, he took a glance, and, predictably, found Heero typing away madly. The brown-haired boy's strong muscles were overly tense, Duo noticed, his eyes sweeping over Heero. Duo didn't know why the other was so upset, but in automatic response to the Japanese boy's tension, casually leaned against the wall behind him, and crossed his arms.

"It's Christmas." He moved away from the wall, towards his friend. "But someone always gets stuck working." He leaned down next to Heero. 'Oh boy, I am in so much trouble. He smells so fucking good.' 

Scanning the screen to clear his mind, Duo saw the file Heero was suddenly so interested in. "I didn't know Trowa had a niece." He gave a puzzled look.

Heero never looked up from the screen at Duo. "So the records say." He paused for a moment. "But, the Trowa we know isn't the real Trowa Barton."

Duo grinned. "Right, I almost forgot." He spared a look at the boy next to him. 'Looks good, smells good. Shimatta, I'm in so much trouble.'

Heero didn't even bother a proper look at Duo. He just turned his chair to the other side and stood. Duo watched as the other gracefully walked to the door, opening it in the process.

"You going," he asked.

"Aa. Relena's been kidnapped." Heero finally looked at Duo, and then took off out the door, running down the corridor.

Duo closed his eyes, lowered his head, and scratched his head. "Anything for the one you love."  He ran after his friend. 'He'll need my help, eventually, and would never ask for it. Better tag along to make sure I can give him the backup.'

* End Flashback *

He really doesn't know. After the Eve's War, I watched him go off to protect Relena. I didn't try to stop him, either. I just slunk back to L2 to help Hilde with her scrap yard. 

Things are good, I suppose. I mean, besides the fact that I am totally lonely and would do anything to be with Mr. Cold-As-Ice. I figure things could be worse. 

The United Earth Sphere Nation has been extremely quiet. I am enjoying the fact that I don't have to be at alert all the time. I just wish I had the one I loved to share the peace with.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Anything for the one you love." 

He thinks I didn't hear him say that two years ago. I did. That would surprise everyone who knows me.

I know he thinks that I love Relena. I'm not sure I am capable of loving anyone truly, but I know what I feel for Relena is respect and an obligation to help her bring about the peace that was needed for the UESN. I respect her unlike anyone else I can think of, except for maybe my fellow pilots, even Wufei.

Two years have passed, and yet that one sentence sticks out in my mind now more than ever. I know what the others are doing. Winner, I mean Quatre, is working as CEO of WEI. Trowa is still in the circus with Cathy. Wufei is working for the Preventers. And Duo… He is on L2 with Hilde, running a scrap yard.

I've seen him since the Eve's War; although, I doubt he has seen me. I took great pains to remain concealed from his view. He looks so happy and carefree, but something tells me that it's just another mask. He was always so good at those.

I suppose I do actually miss him and his crazy antics. He has the worst timing. He would always bug me when I was trying to work, asking inane questions. I wanted to throttle him at the time, but now, I think it's kind of amusing. He loved to dance and sing, even if his voice was too deep for the parts he was singing.  He was so full of life, in spite of everything that happened to him. He could talk for hours about one subject, and never get bored, never repeat himself, never get tired.

No, I don't think I can love anyone. However, I know for a fact that I do miss him more than what goes beyond friendship. He was my first real friend, and in a way, the best friend I ever had, even if I didn't want it at the time.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I spoke to Maxwell last week. He said something that the other pilots have been throwing around for the last two years. "Anything for the one you love."

He looked so wistful as he said it. As if it had a double meaning somewhere along the way. I kept waiting for him to elaborate, but he said nothing.

A week has passed, and yet, I can not get the sentence, nor his sad expression, out of my mind. I never thought I would ever see the braided boy look so down. It seemed so out of place on his face. I feel I only knew one side of the American while we were fighting alongside each other.

* Flashback *  
  


"Hey, Fei, you ever been in love?" Duo asked, bouncing on his part of the couch, in the latest safe house.

Wufei glared daggers at the annoying creature on the other end of the couch that was daring to disturb his book. He pushed his glasses back up his nose, burying himself back in his story. "I fail to see how that is relevant to anything you need to know, Maxwell."

"I don't NEED to know. I want to know. So, have you ever been in love?" The braided teen grinned maniacally.

Wufei was silent. 'I don't know.' He thought to himself. 'I know HOW to love, but being IN love is totally different. I wasn't in love with Merian. It was a sort of begrudging respect.' 

"You gonna ignore me, or answer the question?" Duo was mock-pouting, his bottom lip protruding slightly.

'He really is very beautiful. I wonder how it would feel just to kiss that lip.' Frowning fiercely, Wufei banished those thoughts. He brought his book back up to his face, and tried very hard not to concentrate on the undeniably sexy creature next to him. 

"Ah, it's like that, is it? Fine." Suddenly, Wufei's book was snatched from his hands.

"MAXWELL!" He huffed, indignantly. "Shimatta."

"Just answer the question, and you can have it back." That impish grin was once again plastered onto the American's face.

The irritated Chinese teen sighed. "No." He glared at Duo. "Happy now?"

Duo bounced up and down. "Yep."  He looked at the book he had taken from Wufei. "I always wanted to learn how to read in Chinese and Japanese. I suppose I should be grateful I can read at all." Duo shook his head wistfully, and handed the book back to his friend.

Wufei said nothing, but he did watch his comrade for any signs that he would disturb him again. He finally had let his guard down, when Duo was two inches from his face. "Nani?" he snapped.

"Nothing. I just noticed how sexy you are with your glasses on." Duo stood up from the couch. "Man, I'm starved! Bye Fei!" He bounded out of the living room into the kitchen.

'He was so close. I could have kissed him.' Wufei was lost in thought again. 'He thinks I'm sexy?' He shook his head. "How did you get to be a stealth agent, Maxwell? You sound like a herd of wild gazelles," he shouted, as he buried his head back in his book.

* End Flashback *

I wasn't sure about it then, and even after the Eve's War, I still hadn't made up my mind about being in love. I never did get a real moment to think about it again, though. I soon watched my colony blow up, killed Treize, and then helped end the war. 

I roamed a while after the "end" of the war. I was uncomfortable everywhere I went. I did not belong to this happy new world, and when Winner approached me about destroying the Gundams, I stopped talking to the other pilots. Shortly after that, I went to L3, and found out about the Mariemaia Army. I joined. I wasn't sure that this peace would endure, and I really didn't know much about living a normal life anymore. Better to die a soldier in a war, than an old man in my bed.

I fought against Yuy, and saw that peace is something that has to be fought for, tooth and nail. Something everyone should fight for. I saw that brightly at the end, when all the people of the UESN joined the other Gundam pilots. That was real peace. And I knew it was time for me to let go of the war once and for all.

I let go of Nataku, and joined the Preventers; however, I knew that there was something missing. 'Anything for the one you love.'

Yes, that sentence makes sense to me, now. I would do anything for him, but I have no idea where to start.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Anything for the one you love."

That one simple sentence has sent me thinking farther than I had ever hoped to go. Would I die for my love? Would I risk everything to be with him? Would I sacrifice everything for his safety?

The answers I have come up so far are: Yes, if it comes down to who's life is more valuable, his is. Yes, I don't have much, but I would give it all up for him. Yes, he is the most important thing in my life, and if I could take back shooting him, twice, I would.

Those thoughts comfort me some. Knowing the answers, but not being able to tell him; now, that's what keeps me awake at night. If I knew where he was…. No, If I knew where he was, then he wouldn't be hiding.

Heero, wherever you are, I love you, and I would do anything for you…

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I still hear his voice saying that one sad, simple sentence, even two years later.

I know where he is. I could go see him, and let him see me. However, would it accomplish anything? I have no answer to that.

Duo, I'm sorry…

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I should tell him, but I have no idea where to start. Yes, I know, I am rambling, but I am being honest.

When did I start to love him? Why do I love him? How did he get past my barriers? Why have I let him inadvertently do this to me?  So many questions, no answers in sight.

It's interesting to see how a few insightful sentences from him have made me reevaluate my life.

Maxwell…Duo…I…

Fin.


End file.
